Sean SavageNachtmusik

Toronto musician Sean Savage boasts a full resume: DJ, remix artist, producer and label owner; his releases number in the double digits, and span house, techno and trip-hop. But there lingers the concern frequently faced by hiring managers here: that the candidate offers a lot of glossy superlatives, but not enough substance. There's quantity here, sure, but what about quality?

Nachtmusik, Savage's latest output, draws us into a chilled out trance, stretching out synth notes and basic, repetitive drum beats to create a calming atmosphere. There's a lack of depth, though. There are few elusive subtleties left to pick up on after playing it a few times, and frankly, most tracks do poorly to disguise their formulaic assembly. Occasionally, listeners are presented with something promising, like the airy beauty of "The Marquee Mile" or the echoing skips and Dean Blunt-like humming on "Midnight," but surrounding these peaks are more unremarkable foggy loops, more sonic clouds.

Savage tries to establish a conceptual tone here, but he isn't able to maintain the listener's attention long enough to do so.
(Dibgate Records)